Shloka 41

वालिनः और्ध्वदैहिकम्

Vali’s Funeral Rites and the Consolation of the Bereaved

Devanagari script

प्रहृष्टमिव ते वक्त्रं गतासोरपि मानदआस्तार्कसमवर्णं च लक्ष्यते जीवतो यथा4.25.41।।

Transliteration

prahṛṣṭam iva te vaktraṃ gatāsor api mānada | āstārkasamavarṇaṃ ca lakṣyate jīvato yathā || 4.25.41 ||

Translation

O giver of honor, though life has departed, your face appears cheerful. It shines with the hue of the setting sun, just as it did when you were alive.

Word by Word

• prahṛṣṭam: delighted, joyful
• prahṛṣṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prahṛṣṭa (कृदन्त; √hṛṣ् धातु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); Past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally

• iva: as if, like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle of comparison (उपमा-अव्यय)

• te: your
• te: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); 2nd person pronoun

• vaktram: face
• vaktram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• gatāsoḥ: of one whose life has gone (lifeless)
• gatāsoḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata-asu (समास; कृदन्त + प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound: gata (gone; √gam/√gā) + asu (life-breath); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन) qualifying 'te' (you)

• api: even, though
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) expressing concession/emphasis

• mānada: O revered one (giver of honor)
• mānada: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• āstā-rka-sama-varṇam: having the color like the setting sun
• āstā-rka-sama-varṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āsta-arka-sama-varṇa (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): āsta-arka (setting sun) + sama (similar) + varṇa (color); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन) qualifying 'vaktram'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• lakṣyate: is seen, appears
• lakṣyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √lakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); Passive/impersonal sense: 'is seen/appears'

• jīvataḥ: of (you) living / when alive
• jīvataḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvat (कृदन्त; √jīv् धातु)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ) used substantively; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative adverb (उपमा/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय)

Context

'Why don't you look at me, oppressed with tears, O monkey king, O my venerable lord, O longarmed one, O my dear?

Characters & Entities

• Tārā
• Vāli

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

It points to satya: the body may retain beauty, yet life is gone—teaching detachment and truthfulness about impermanence.

What is the narrative situation?

Tārā observes Vāli’s lifeless body and speaks to him, noting the paradox of a serene face despite death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Attentive love and honest perception—seeing reality without denial, even while grieving.